"Strangers When We Meet" is about Maggie, played by Kim Novak. She and Kirk Douglas' character have an affair. The movie poster, above, makes it look very urban and sophisticated, but in fact, he is an architect and she is a suburban mom. I discovered it accidentally a couple of years ago on cable. It became one of those movies I love, and I cry every time I watch it.

I enjoyed this tale of faux-wicked light fingering and then the turn of conscience which precipitated the mailing the book back 'home.' I was wondering what the name of this book was, the one that called out to you and blessed you with its words!

My mother had this book in her reader's digest collection of those slashed and put together anthologies they did--I liked the title but never read it--your poem shows how human, unknowable and in the end, unpossessable, a book can be. Still the ones that speak to us are in some fundamental way, forever 'ours.'

I'm a purloiner of books too (Shhh!)I believe that fate intends for me to have certain books, and if no one will miss them, they are fair game. In fact, one of my closest friends lent me 'The Book Thief' and I refused to give it back. I told him, if he wanted it, he should buy himself another - so he did.

I love this love song to a book. You make me want to read the movie or see the book. What's most surprising about this poem is that tender romance you exhibit. You're a constant surprise, and it's a firecracker joy to read (and know) you. LUV, Mosk

That is so beautiful, Shay. The whole poem is a real delight. Love the bell, book and candle reference, especially after learning that the movie was another movie starring Kim Novak. Are you aware that I have an old cat named Pyewacket after BB&C? She is in her last months now and bewitching as all her years.

My new book !

Modesty spoken here.

kindred spirits

"I have been blessed with these two gorgeousWings and I refuse to load my heart with weights."

--Marina Tsvetaeva

“I'd rather sing one wild song and burst my heart with it, than live a thousand years watching my digestion and being afraid of the wet.” ― Jack London, The Turtles of Tasman

"The only calibration that counts is how much heart people invest, how much they ignore their fears of being hurt or caught out or humiliated. And the only thing people regret is that they didn't live boldly enough, that they didn't invest enough heart, didn't love enough. Nothing else really counts at all." — Ted Hughes

Poetry made from...

...trinkets, mojo, and double mocha latte!

Welcome to the Word Garden

The Word Garden consists of original poems written by me, Shay a.k.a. Fireblossom. Please stop a while and enjoy them. But don't pick the blooms that you find here, they must not be planted elsewhere without permission of the author.